DANVILLE, Va. – Piedmont Infusion Services and its owner, Jacob Patterson, have agreed to pay $310,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act by submitting false bills to Medicare and Medicaid.
Jacob Patterson, 66 of Danville, Virginia, was a pharmacist who owned and operated Piedmont Infusion Services, a pharmacy-based infusion center located at 111 Mall Drive Danville, Va. 24540, that employed nurses and nursing assistants to provide patients with not only compounded prescriptions but also needle and catheter method medications ordered by their physician. Piedmont Infusion Services did not employ a physician or “physician extender” such as a physician’s assistant to provide patient care.
From 2013 through the beginning of 2018, Patterson and Piedmont Infusion Services falsely and knowingly billed Medicare and Medicaid for high-level office visits that simply did not occur. They consistently and improperly billed for CPT code 99215, which is only appropriate when a physician or other qualified medical professional provides evaluation and management of an established patient who presents problems of moderate to high severity. To be appropriate, the appointment must include at least two of these three key components: a comprehensive history, a comprehensive examination, and/or medical decision-making of high complexity. Patterson and Piedmont Infusion Services did not provide this care to patients, nor...
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